Valparaiso, Indiana

Menuet by J.S. Bach

Published by Belwin-Mills Publishing Corp.

This piece is a part of an oboe solo collection titled CLASSIC FESTIVAL SOLOS.

# 1

Turn to page 6 in your collection of oboe solos and find MENUET by J.S. Bach (from Anna Magdalena’s Notebook)

# 2

Note that the key signature is in one flat-the key of F major.  Throughout  the piece you will be fingering both the regular “F” fingering and the forked “F” fingering.  As you have learned a sequence of scales ( Bb, Eb, and F) remember that in the key of F major you are fingering “E” natural with the octave key and not half-hole Eb.

# 3

The time signature is in three-four time.  Begin your practice by playing the piece a little slower than indicated-Allegretto.  Practice the piece two measures at a time between the beginning and letter A.

# 4

Pay attention to the correct “F” fingerings.  In measure one is the regular “F” fingering, but in measure two you want to use the forked “F” fingering as measure three begins with a half-hole “D”.  This famous Bach melody repeats many times and each time you want to use the forked “F” fingering in the second measure of melody.

# 5

From the beginning to letter A practice two measures at a time and stop.  Repeat and practice four measures at a time and stop.  Finally, practice from the beginning to letter A without stopping.  If this is a challenge slow down your tempo until you can play from the beginning to letter A.

# 6

Note the dynamic is mp (mezzo piano) at the beginning and at letter A.  For your first practice sessions play with a full sound and gradually reduce your dynamic  to mp or medium soft  as you become comfortable playing all the notes from the beginning to letter B.

# 7

Keep the tempo steady and practice at a slower tempo from the beginning to letter B.  Gradually increase the tempo playing all the correct notes without stopping until the piece sounds like a dance

# 8

Pay attention to the tongue and slur markings.  Note that the tongue and slur markings at the beginning through letter A are the same as the markings from letter A to letter B.

# 9

Breathing is a major issue in playing the oboe.  You want to breathe at the end of  every eight measures.  Breathing on the oboe means to expel more air than you take in.  Thus, you are exhaling first and inhaling second when breathing.  Be sure to exhale more air than you inhale.  This will keep your breathing in balance, and you will have plenty of endurance to finish the piece with a relaxed performance.

# 10

At letter B you being a new melody on high “A”.  Be sure to use your second octave, use a firm upper lip for this note, and direct your air upward like you do when using your high falsetto voice.  Be sure to move the air quickly like it is hot.   In measure three you will need to play forked “F” on the first note.  In measure four you will be playing a “B” natural-not “Bb”.  Check this fingering-use just your first finger.  Note that in measure 5 and 7 you will also play “B” natural-not “Bb’.

# 11

At letter C you repeat the same melody as at letter B.  Follow the same suggestions listed above for letter B as for performing letter C.

# 12

The final 8 measures start at the mp dynamic marking.  You will use regular “F” fingerings for these 8 measures.  Remember that the ending is most important as it is the last thing your audience hears.  Your strongest performance needs to always be the ending of your piece.

# 13

As there are no rests in this piece, you may want to shorten the piece by leaving out letter B.  If the piece is still too exhausting you could perform the beginning to letter A and letter C to the end.  Paying attention to your breathing every 8 measures will help your endurance-exhale-inhale with more are going out than coming into your lungs.

# 14

Ask your music director to help you find a good piano accompanist.  This is an excellent piece for your first recital or solo contest performance.  Give yourself two months to prepare the piece.  Make a decision about sitting or standing to play as an oboe soloist.  Perform the piece for friends at home and classmates at school before actually performing the piece on a formal recital or at a contest where your performance is going to be judged by a professional oboist.

# 15

We have a video demonstrating all of the above information on YouTube. Just click on Beginner Oboe on the right side of our home page and you will find beginner video performance # 12 via YouTube.  This video will be  helpful in your practice.  Good luck with your practicing and performances.